Direction signal lamp



Oct. 10, 1939. J SAUER 2,175,918

DIRECTION SIGNAL LAMP Filed July 20, 1936 If l. 1:1 a.

F HI l INVENTOR HEPIRYLJ. 51mm.

ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 10, 1939 UNITED STATES OFFICE DIRECTION SIGNALLABIP Henry J. Sauer, Fairfield, Conn, assignor to The Kilborn- SauerCompany, Fairfield,

Conn, a

1 Claim.

The present invention relates to a direction si nal lamp particularlyfor use upon trucks, busses or the like to indicate right and leftturns, two such lamps, one indicating left turn and the other rightturn, adapted to be mounted at the .rear of the vehicle and two adaptedto be mounted at the front upon the fenders. An object of the inventionis to provide a lamp structure which will withstand the severe vibrationand shock to which its use upon trucks and busses subjects it, and whichwill at the same time permit of easy and convenient opening of the lampcasing for the purpose of renewing the bulb when necessary,

A further object is to provide a lamp structure in which the bulb socketis mounted upon a vertically disposed post, which post is adapted tomount the lamp upon the fender or other supporting structure, and toprovide in rigid nonrotatable relation with such post a bracket rigidlysecured to the lamp casing in such relation that relative movementbetween the casing and post is prevented and the casing is efiectuallysupported and reinforced against displacement or distortion. A furtherobject is to provide a lamp structure having reflector means within thelamp provided upon the inner surface of the front face and also upon theinner surface of the rear face, and so cooperating with the lamp bulbthat the light rays will be multiplied within the casing thereby greatlyincreasing the illumination of the signal.

With the above and other objects in view, an embodiment of the inventionis shown in the accompanying drawing, and this embodiment will behereinafter more fully described with reference thereto and theinvention will be finally pointed out in the claim.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a front view of a direction signal lamp according to theexemplary illustrated embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation.

Fig. 3 is a rear elevation, the fender or other supporting structure andthe securing means being shown in vertical section.

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional View taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 1,the securing nut and washers being removed.

Fig. 5 is a detail View of the mounting post employed.

Fig. 6 is a lower end view of the mounting post.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout theseveral figures of the drawing.

Referring to the drawing, the signal direction lamp according to theillustrated exemplary embodiment of the invention comprises a casingconsisting of a back member ID of substantially parabolic shape providedat its edge with a circu- ..lar outwardly extending flange provided at 5suitably spaced points with rearwardly flanged threaded holes [2 forreceiving the cover attaching screws presently to be more fully referredto. The mounting means for the back member ID consist of a tubularcylindrical post l3 provided 10 at its upper end with a reduced diametershoulder l4 and at its lower end with a reduced diameter threaded studportion l5, the post being provided adjacent the upper end of the studportion I5 with oppositely disposed flatted shoulders Iii-I6. The postis rigidly secured to a bracket formed of strap metal bent into U-shapeand provided with outwardly bent diagonally disposed attaching ears|8|8, the base of the bracket being provided with an aperture l9corresponding in shape to the cross-section of the flatted portion ofthe post, which portion is engaged in this aperture and rigidly securedby swedging against the lower surface of the bracket, as at 20. The postand bracket are thus rigidly ancl' non-rotatably secured together.

Upon the upper end of the post a lamp bulb socket 21 is rigidly secured,its flanged base 22 being engaged with the shouldered portion M whichlatter is swedged over upon the flange as clearly shown in Fig. 4.Theback member Ill is provided in its lower portion with an aperture 23through which the upper end of the post is engaged, and the ears l8 ofthe bracket I! are secured to the back member at each side of the postby means of rivets 24.

Within the back member I0 there is provided a parabolic reflector member25 preferably spaced from the inner surface of the back member, providedwith a circular outwardly extending edge flange 26 adapted to engageupon the forward side of the back member and having holes 2'!registering with the threaded holes l2 of the flange I l, the reflectorbeing provided in its lower portion with an aperture 28 through whichthe post |3 and socket 2| are engaged.

The lamp bulb base 29 is engaged in the socket 2| in the usual manner,its center contact 30 engaging the button end 3| of a lead wire 32extending through the passage of the post, the button end carrying aninsulating washer 33, between which and the base of the socket 2| 9.spring 34 is disposed, the lamp contact 30 being thus engaged by thebutton end 33 under spring pressure and the lugs 35 of the lamp basebeing yieldably retained in the bayonet slots 36 of the socket. It willbe noted that the mounting structure for the lamp bulb is such that thelamp bulb will be disposed substantially centrally of the easing closeto the reflector 25, and without any appreciable interference by thesupporting structure with the reflection of the lamp rays by thereflectors.

The cover member of the lamp comprises a circular front face portion 31having a cylindrical wall 38 provided with an outwardly extending flange39 and a rearwardly extending rim 4!), in which are received the flangesII and 26 of the back member and reflector with a resilient sealinggasket 4|, preferably of cork, disposed between the flange 26 and theflange 39 The flange 39 and the sealing gasket are respectively providedwith holes 42 and 43 registering With the threaded holes I2 of the backmember, securing screws 44 being engaged therethrough and securing thecover member to the back member with the sealing gasket compressedbetween them. The rim flange 40 encloses the edges of the flanges H and26 and the sealing gasket to protect the interior of the lamp from theentrance of water.

The front face 31 of the cover member is provided with an opening 45preferably in the shape of an arrow, the arrow pointing to the left fora left turn signal lamp and pointing to the right for a right turnsignal lamp, this opening being engaged by an embossed projectingportion 46 of a translucent plate 41 of Celluloid or the like, disposedat the inner side of the face and retained by an inner reflector plate48 secured to the front face 31 by rivets 49. The reflector plate 48 isprovided with an opening 50 corresponding in shape to and registeringwith the opening 46 of the front face, so that the arrow shaped embossedportion 46 of the translucent plate will be illuminated. The reflectorplate 48 is preferably silvered at its inner surface, as is also theparabolic reflector 35, so that the light rays projecting forwardly fromthe lamp bulb will not be absorbed by the cover but will be reflectedrearwardly to the parabolic reflector member 35, and the illuminationwithin the lamp will thus be greatly multiplied.

The cover member is provided with a visor 5| which is preferably securedto the cylindrical wall 38 by spot welding as at 52, the visor being forthe purpose of increasing the visibility of the signal lamp in daylight.

The lamp is mounted upon the supporting structure 53 of the vehicle, thefender in the case of the forward signal lamp and sheet metal bracketsin the case of rear signal lamps, by engaging the threaded stud l5 inahole 54 drilled in the supporting structure 53, a dished washer 55having a circular recess 56 in its upper side being engaged beneath thelower end of the bracket H, a rubber washer 51 being disposed betweenthe washer 55 and. the supporting structure 53, a washer 58 beingdisposed upon the stud at the under side of the supporting structure,and the stud being secured by a nut 59, which upon being tightened drawsthe bracket l1 into tight engagement with the recessed portion 56 of thewasher 55. This arrangement is such that any burs on the lower surfaceof the bracket I! will not prevent solid seating of the bracket, and thetight engagement of the corner portions of the rectangular lower surfaceof the bracket with the circular edge of the recesses 56 produces africtional connection which effectually prevents relative rotationbetween the parts.

I have illustrated and described a preferred and satisfactory embodimentof my invention, but it will be understood that changes may be madetherein within the spirit and scope thereof as defined in the appendedclaim.

Having thus described my inventioniwhat I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is:

In a lamp, a lamp casing having an aperture, a support for said casingcomprising a bracket consisting of a U-shaped member having upright sideportions, a base portion provided with an aperture downwardly spacedfrom said casing aperture in vertical axial alignment therewith, andoutwardly extending ears at the upper ends of said side portionsengaging the outer surface of said casing in outwardly spaced relationat each side of said casing aperture and rigidly secured to said casing,and a tubular post engaged intermediate its ends in said bracketaperture and rigidly secured therein against rotary and axial movement,the upper end portion of said post being loosely engaged through saidcasing aperture to the interior of the casing to support a lamp bulbwithin said casing, and the lower portion of said post below saidbracket being provided with screw threads for the engagement of asecuring nut.

HENRY J. SAUER.

